Interest rates
‘Almost too good to be true’: Jobless rate eases as 40,000 people find work
But there are signs the job market is gradually loosening, giving the RBA little reason to lift interest rates next week.
- by Rachel Clun and Shane Wright
Latest
Opinion
Opinion
Fed’s rate cut caution can’t spoil Wall Street party
The US central bank has dialled back expectations of rate cuts this year. The US sharemarket still hit another record overnight as investors bet on a soft landing for the world’s largest economy.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Updated
World markets
‘Still too high’: Fed signals just one rate cut coming in 2024
Fed chief Jerome Powell says the central bank still needs to see more evidence that it is winning the war on inflation.
- by Jonnelle Marte
Exclusive
RBA
RBA overhaul in limbo over stand-off on rate-setting board
The RBA was supposed to be dragged into the 21st century with huge changes to how interest rates are set. But the July 1 start date will be missed.
- by Shane Wright
Two years of tightening belts: How our spending habits have changed under Albanese
Consumers have had to rearrange their shopping baskets since the 2022 election to continue buying the things they need.
- by Rachel Clun
Updated
World markets
Rate cut hopes bring ASX best weekly gains of year
The ASX 200 Index ended the Friday session with a gain of 0.5 per cent after the ECB became the second major central bank to cut interest rates.
- by Millie Muroi
Opinion
Opinion
The RBA has squeezed us like a lemon, but it’s still not happy
Maybe the Reserve Bank needs to see more blood on the street before it will believe we’re getting inflation back under control. If so, we’re running a bigger risk of recession than the central bank cares to admit.
- by Ross Gittins
Analysis
Household debt
Australians have been dipping into their piggy banks just to make ends meet
Growth at 0.1 per cent is abysmal. GDP per capita has fallen by 1.6 per cent since mid-2022. You don’t see that sort of fall outside a deep recession.
- by Shane Wright
Economy flatlining, savings dwindling, but help is on its way, says Chalmers
Excluding the pandemic, in the first three months of this year the Australian economy grew at the slowest annual rate since the 1990s recession.
- by Rachel Clun
Sydney houses are more expensive than ever. The big surprise is the city next in line
High interest rates and inflation can’t stop Australia’s property market – and the prices outside Sydney are really worth keeping an eye on.
- by Shane Wright
The Sydney suburbs where house prices have risen the least in five years
Sydney house prices have risen 57 per cent over the past five years, but some pockets have increased much less.
- by Tawar Razaghi